Post by mwardncsu on Jan 31, 2016 16:57:52 GMT -5
Weather: Sunny, temps below freezing rising to above 60, winds from none to hurricane force from the NW
Water: 40-46, visibility of 3-6'
Techniques: pulling big gizzards (8" - 13") on freeline planer boards and a light-line; casting swim-baits and flukes for a bit
With the warm weather forecast for Sunday I decided I better take advantage in case February turns out like last year and the lake freezes over till March. I got up to the lake and headed out looking for gizzards a little after 3 pm. Got 16 or 18 in the tank and then hung my 12' net on some type of unknown, immovable object, cleated it off and pulled with the big motor breaking most of the braille lines and ripping the net at the lead line (though not as bad as I first thought).
Fortunately I had a back-up net aboard which has seen better days, but it got the job done to help me put around 40-50 bait in the tank - 25-30 or so which went into long-term storage later that evening.
Up at 6am and on the water before 7, stopped to get gas at the SLOOOOOOWWWWWEEEEESSSTTTTTT pump on earth - think I might have been getting a gallon a minute. While I was waiting the birds started diving near-by but only stayed a few minutes.
Finally got enough gas and rolled down to pick up Tyler. We headed off in search of some birds and then got a whim to roll down the lake and check a big creek. No birds there but we decided to put put bait and pull. Nothing.
Did I mention it was cold?
Moved back up the lake after 45 min or so - saw a bunch of birds circling and about 8 other boats - only marked a few scattered fish - not sure if there had been a good school moving through earlier or not. So we moved on up the lake to another creek, and put out the baits. Pulled for maybe an hour...... Nothing.
It was a little after 11 at this point and Tyler needed to head out, so I dropped him back at his place hoping I'd get the bad mojo off the boat, and after hanging around a little while I headed back down the lake to see if I could find a little warmer water and try some other creeks. Pulled for 30 min or so. Nothing.
Moved back near the bridge and pulled a creek as the wind started to blow a gale..... pulled a while. Nothing.
Moved up the lake just a small bit further near a bunch of bait and pulled - Nothing. Well, lots of bait, but no fish action
Moved further on up the lake and pulled a little cut/cove in the area where the birds had been working earlier. Nothing.
Moved on for one last pull in my creek - the wind was nearing hurricane force at this point. Pulled a couple of points and a rip-rap bank. Nothing.
Called it a day.
Yep - I found it.... the dreaded 1st Skunk of 2016...... and it may hang around as February has never been all that kind to me. The Big Bait Bite looks to be over for the moment - of course 5 warmer days this week could reignite it, but we'll see.....
Water: 40-46, visibility of 3-6'
Techniques: pulling big gizzards (8" - 13") on freeline planer boards and a light-line; casting swim-baits and flukes for a bit
With the warm weather forecast for Sunday I decided I better take advantage in case February turns out like last year and the lake freezes over till March. I got up to the lake and headed out looking for gizzards a little after 3 pm. Got 16 or 18 in the tank and then hung my 12' net on some type of unknown, immovable object, cleated it off and pulled with the big motor breaking most of the braille lines and ripping the net at the lead line (though not as bad as I first thought).
Fortunately I had a back-up net aboard which has seen better days, but it got the job done to help me put around 40-50 bait in the tank - 25-30 or so which went into long-term storage later that evening.
Up at 6am and on the water before 7, stopped to get gas at the SLOOOOOOWWWWWEEEEESSSTTTTTT pump on earth - think I might have been getting a gallon a minute. While I was waiting the birds started diving near-by but only stayed a few minutes.
Finally got enough gas and rolled down to pick up Tyler. We headed off in search of some birds and then got a whim to roll down the lake and check a big creek. No birds there but we decided to put put bait and pull. Nothing.
Did I mention it was cold?
Moved back up the lake after 45 min or so - saw a bunch of birds circling and about 8 other boats - only marked a few scattered fish - not sure if there had been a good school moving through earlier or not. So we moved on up the lake to another creek, and put out the baits. Pulled for maybe an hour...... Nothing.
It was a little after 11 at this point and Tyler needed to head out, so I dropped him back at his place hoping I'd get the bad mojo off the boat, and after hanging around a little while I headed back down the lake to see if I could find a little warmer water and try some other creeks. Pulled for 30 min or so. Nothing.
Moved back near the bridge and pulled a creek as the wind started to blow a gale..... pulled a while. Nothing.
Moved up the lake just a small bit further near a bunch of bait and pulled - Nothing. Well, lots of bait, but no fish action
Moved further on up the lake and pulled a little cut/cove in the area where the birds had been working earlier. Nothing.
Moved on for one last pull in my creek - the wind was nearing hurricane force at this point. Pulled a couple of points and a rip-rap bank. Nothing.
Called it a day.
Yep - I found it.... the dreaded 1st Skunk of 2016...... and it may hang around as February has never been all that kind to me. The Big Bait Bite looks to be over for the moment - of course 5 warmer days this week could reignite it, but we'll see.....
